Textile conditioning and storage apparatus.



L E. PALMER, DEGD. T. A: H. T. PALMER, ADLTINISTRATORS. TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JAN.16', 1914. 1,123,1 39, PatentedDec. 29, 1914.

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I. E. PALMER, DEGD. T. 8; N. '1. PALMER, ADMINISTBATORS. TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS,

APPLICATION FILED JANJB, 1914- Patented Dec. 29, 1914:

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;I. E. PALMER, DEGD. T. 4: 1w. T. PALMER, ADMINISTRATORS. TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1914.

1 1 23, 1 39. Patented Dec, 29, 1914.

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ISAAC E. PALlVIER, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT; TOWNSEND PALMER AND NATHALIE T. PALMER ADMINISTRATORS OF SAID ISAAC E. PALlvIER,

DECEASED.

TEXTILE CONDITIONING AND STORAGE APPARATUS.

Application filed January 16, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of ididdletown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Textile Conditioning and Storage Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection wlth theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

lhis invention relates to textile conditioning and storage apparatus, particularly intended for handling and treatlng textile material in lengths.

In order that the principle of the inven tion may be readily understood, 1 have disclosed a single embodiment of the lnvention in the accompanying drawlngs, wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of a textile, continuous storing apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section thereof; Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. l is a detail, parts be ing broken away, in plan view of a portion of the apparatus; Fig. 5 is a detall 1n slde elevation representing means for driving the conveyer; Fig. 6 is a detail in plan and section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 8 of the follower governing the driving of the conveyer; and Fig. 7 is a detail in slde elevation of a yielding connection preferably employed in the conveyer driving means.

This invention, relating as it does to textile conditioning and storage apparatus, is

an improvement upon the construction shown in my Patents No. 108,388, August 6, 1899; No. 653, 18 July 10, 1900; No. 971,778, October at, 1910; and No. 1,038,925, July 30, 1912.

As shown in my patents above referred to, textile material in lengths, such for ex ample as cloth or yarn, has been plled or folded into the open, upper ends of an upright chute, usually of J or U shape, the material being treated either prior to or during its passage through said chute to the action of some suitable liquor, such for example as a bleaching, dyeing, finishing or other conditioning liquor. As disclosed in my said Patent No. 108,888, the front and rear walls of said chute were made of continuously driven aprons intended to fa- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

Serial No. 812,559.

cilitate the passage of the material through said chute; as disclosed in my Patent No. 653,4:85, I have facilitated the passage of the material through the chute by maintaining a flow of liquor sufficient to float it therethrough; and as disclosed in my Patents Nos. 971,7 78 and 1,033,925, I have employed Walls of anti-friction material likewise intended to facilitate the proper passage of the material therethrough, said latter patent disclosing in certain forms thereof a rear wall having a series of freely rotating rolls to decrease the frictional resistance to the onward movement of the material. In the present application I disclose improved means including a conveyer positively operated, but automatically varied in its feeding movement by the textile material itself, to facilitate the passage of the material through the chute, and in such manner as to prevent tangling of the material and to result in the discharge of the material in folds, preferably extending transversely of the chute and preferably substantially normal to the walls thereof throughout the longitudinal extent of the chute.

In accordance with my invention, the textile material may be discharged or drawn in a saturated or wet condition or in a squeezed condition from the chute or receiver, though in that embodiment of my invention herein represented, the material is more particularly intended to be discharged in a squeezed condition. The apparatus is adapted to receive material in rope or chain form, or as yarn, or in the condition of flat goods of suitable width, such material being treated in the apparatus or previous to its entrance thereto with any suitable conditioning liquor, such for example as a bleaching, dyeing, finishing or other liquor, or just prior to the delivery of the material into the chute the conditioning liquor, of whatever nature, may be substantially expelled therefrom by the action of squeeze rolls, so that while the material remains in the chute, the compara tively small amount of treating liquor yet remaining in the goods may continue to act thereon, and if desired until the force of such treating liquor is exhausted.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I have therein represented a chute,

the upper portion of which is composed of front and rear walls 1, 2 and side walls 3, 1 of suitable material, the said chute being upright and having at its upper end an inlet 5, into which the material is delivered in suitable manner, as hereinafter more fully set forth. The walls of the chute may be composed of any suitable material, such as wood, and if desired the front wall 1 may be provided with a hinged prolongation 6 which may rest upon the material. I have herein represented the rear wall 2 as having a portion 7 curved in substantial parallelism with the portion 6. At their lower ends, the side walls 3, 1 are preferably provided with curved prolongations 8, 9, preferably of such shape as to render the chute of general J or U form, though within the scope of my invention the shape of the chute may be suitably varied. If desired the said chute may be mounted within a suitable tank into or through which the material maybe discharged from the chute, and if desired, I may provide suitable means, such for example as indicated in my Patent No. 971,778, for introducing a treating or other liquor into the upper portion of the chute. Such liquor may be employed for the purpose of treating the material, and may be, for ex ample, a bleaching, dyeing or finishing liquor, or it may be water or other liquid employed merely to facilitate the passage of the material through the chute.

If desired, the upright portion of the chute may be of increasing cross sectional area in the direction of the passage of the material therethrough, as disclosed in certain of my prior patents.

The upright portion of the chute, of whatever form, is adapted to discharge the material upon a conveyer here typified as an apron or belt-like endless member 10, preferably composed of slats of suitable material, such as wood, extending from side to side of the chute and provided at their ends with chain-like portions mounted upon drums 11, 12 having sprocket gears 11, 12 at each end thereof with which said chain portions engage. Said drums are suitably supported in the frame 13, and preferably with their axes in substantially the same horizontal plane. Within the scope of my invention, however, the form of mounting and arrangement of the conveyer may be varied. As herein shown, it constitutes a portion of the rear and bottom wall of the chute. It may be of any suitable extent and its position may obviously be varied within the scope of my invention. Herem I have represented the lower run 1 1 of said conveyer as passing under sultable guide rolls 15, 16 mounted in the frame 13. The said conveyer 10 is'herein typified as an endless apron, but of whatever type it maybe it is positively driven and, as hereln dlsclosed,

by means governed by the textile material itself. For this purpose, I have herein represented a ratchet wheel 17 mounted upon a stud shaft 18 upon the framing 13 and a pawl 19 pivoted upon a lever 20 loosely mounted upon the stud shaft 18 and having pivotally connected thereto a rod 21, which, as hereinafter set forth, is reciprocated from the feeding mechanism so as to impart rotative movement to the ratchet. Fast upon the stud shaft 18 is a pinion 22 meshing with a gear wheel 23 fast upon the shaft 23 forming a portion of or supporting drum 11. In this manner, the reciprocating movement of the rod 21 imparts step-bystep movement to the drum and consequently to the apron-like conveyer 10.

The upturned or discharge portion-of the chute may be of any suitable height or extent, and to that end the location of the drum 11 may be suitably varied. I have, however, here represented the chute as provided with a front wall 24: above the conveyer, This wall if provided may be continued upward to any suitable extent and may be formed as a hopper if desired so as increase the-capacity of the chute. Preferably I provide the said wall with a roller 25 mounted in an opening 26 in said wall and protruding partially therethrough so as to contact with the material and assist in the discharge thereof. The saidroll is driven in a contra-clockwise direction, in any suit able manner, and preferably by means of a sprocket gear 29 upon the shaft 23.

Driving movement is imparted to the rod 21 in any suitable manner, but preferably from the fabric feeding-in mechanism. I will therefore describe a suitable form of feeding-in mechanism, particularly adapted for this purpose.

In order to introduce the material into the chute, I provide suitable means to traverse the material when in rope, chain, or yarn like form and also to fold it back and forth in the upper end of the chute or merely to fold the material if the latter be wide goods. I have herein represented means for folding and traversing the material, it being evident that the traversing means may be omitted if the chute be used for wide goods.

Assuming that the material is in rope, chain, or yarn form, it is introduced from the apparatus by which it was last previously treated, or if desired it is reintroduced from the discharge end of the chute through a suitable pot eye 30 represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In order to traverse the material from side to side of the chute, I provide any suitable mechanism, such for example as a sprocket chain 31represented in Fig. .1 as mounted upon suitable pinions 82, 38, the latter being driven by suitable sprocket gearing 34 from the main drive shaft 35 by means of beveled gears 36, 37.

The pot eye is traversed to and fro by the chain 31 and is guided in its to and fro movement by upper and lower guides 38 in a manner not necessary more fully to describe. If desired, it may be traversed in any other suitable manner, as for example in the manner shown in my Patent No. 971,778.

In order to introduce the material in folds into the upper end of the chute, I have herein represented the main drive shaft 35 having thereon fast and loose pulleys 39, 40, whereby it may be driven from any suitable source, a belt shifter 40' being preferably employed. Upon said main drive shaft 37 is fast a suitable drum 41, about which the material passes, it being directed thereto from the pot eye 30. The main drive shaft 35 is supported in suitable hearings in uprights or castings 42 themselves supported upon the upper ends of the uprights 43, by which the chute is supported. The material after passing over the upper surface of the drum 41 thence passes between said drum and the squeeze roll or rider roll 44, which is supported at the lower ends of links 45 pivoted as indicated at 46 in the upper ends of the up rights or brackets 42. The squeeze or rider roll 44 rests by gravity against the material and may expel a considerable portion of the liquor therefrom, if the material be received from an apparatus wherein it has been subjected to liquid treatment. Below and pref erably between the drum 41 and the squeeze or rider roll 44, I mount folding means herein represented as a pair of plates 47, 48 pivoted at their upper ends as repre sented at 49, 50, to brackets 51, themselves secured to the uprights 42. The material emerging from between the drum 41 and the squeeze or rider roll 44 passes between the plates 47, 48, and the latter are suitably oscillated so as to deposit the material in folds in the upper end of the chute, and therefore upon the conveyer 10. lVhile any suitable means may be employed to oscillate the plates 47 and 48, I have herein represented a sprocket wheel 52 mounted upon a bracket 53 depending from the frame and provided with a crank arm 54 to which is pivotally connected a link 55 itself pivotally secured to the lower ends of the plates 47,48. The sprocket gear 52 is driven by a sprocket chain 56 from a sprocket pinion 57 fast upon the main drive shaft 35. Also fast upon the main drive shaft 35 is a sprocket pinion 58 shown most clearly in Fig. 1, about which passes a sprocket chain 59 also passing about a sprocket gear 60 mounted upon a suitable bracket extending from the upright 43 and provided with a crank 61 to which is pivoted or suitably connected the upper end of the reciprocatory rod 21.

Preferably and as herein shown I employ a yielding connection between the crank 61 and the lever 20, so that in the event of an obstruction the parts may yield sufiiciently to prevent the actuation of the conveyer 1.0. For this purpose, I have represented a rod 62 pivoted to the crank 61 and extending downwardly past the upper end of and in parallelism to the rod 21, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7. I provide a bracket 63 having therein a pair of sockets through which extend respectively the rods 62 and 21, the said bracket being fixedly but adjustably secured to the rod 62 by a set screw 64. I also provide a similar bracket 65 having similar sockets for the reception of said rods and fixedly but adjustably secure said bracket to the rod 21 by means of a set screw 66. The upper end of the rod 21 is provided with a suitable enlargement 67 and coiled about the rod 21 between said brackets is a coil spring 68. The lower end of the rod 62- passes freely through its socket in the bracket 65 and the upper end of the rod 21 likewise passes freely through its socket in the bracket 63. The adjustment of parts and the tension of the spring 68 are such that upon each downward movement of the rod 62, the rod 21 is depressed, thereby through the pawl 19 to impart movement to the conveyer 10, the extent of such movement being governed as herein after set forth. If, however, an obstruction be presented to the onward movement of the material, or if for other cause the conveyer 10 should not be driven, the spring 68 yields and thus permits downward movement of the rod 62 without movement of the rod 21.

The conveyer 10 is driven positively as herein set forth, but the movement thereof is governed by the textile material itself, and preferably in such a manner as to drive the conveyer intermittently so as to maintain the discharge end of the column of textile material at or substantially at a uniform level or height. Within the scope of my invention, however, I may continuously drive the conveyer 10, but at variable speeds depend ent upon and governed by the material so as to maintain the discharge end of the col umn thereof at substantially a fixed height. Herein for this purpose I have represented, as most clearly shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, a follower 69 adapted to .rest upon the top of the column of material and as herein shown adjacent one of the sides of the chute. The said follower is provided with a rock shaft 7 0 suitably mounted in bearings 71, 7 2 upon the upright 43 and with a rock arm 73 to which is pivotally secured a link 74, the lower end whereof is pivotally secured to a lever arm 75 loosely mounted upon the stud shaft 18. Upon the pivotal connection of the rod 74 and lever 75 is pivotally mounted a shield 76 having a tapered end 77. The said shield rests and is adapted to be reciprocated upon the edge of the ratchet 17 so as to cover more or less of the teeth thereof dependent upon the position of the follower 69. If the level of the material in the discharge end of the chute has slightly. and temporarily fallen, the follower 69 moves downwardly and through the rod 71, and lever 7 5 moves the shield 76 to the left, viewing Fig. 5, thereby to expose more teeth to the pawl 19, and thus permitting said pawl to rotate the ratchet to an increased extent at each actuating movement of the rods 21, 62. If, however, the level of the material in the discharge end of the chute has slightly risen, then the shield 76 is moved to the right, viewing Fig. 5, thereby to cover additional teeth and thus to lessen the amount of rotative movement imparted to the ratchet by the pawl 19. In this manner a substantially constant level of the material is maintained in the discharge end of the chute. Preferably I provide stops to prevent undue rise or fall of the follower 69, as indicated at 78, 79.

The material will be folded in the upper end of the chute, and will be conveyed in folds through the chute and discharged in that condition from the outlet 80. As indicated in Fig. 2, the folds of the material are at all points substantially normal to the front and rear walls and the conveyer 10. The lower end of the chute is angularly or laterally directed with respect to the upright portion of the chute and in the preferred embodiment of the invention is upturned.

The material merging from the discharge end of the chute may be conveyed to any suitable mechanism or may be reintroduced to the upper end of the chute. In either case, I may provide a guide 81 carried by a suitable bracket 82 secured to the uprights 13 at any suitable height.

The material may be introduced and fed through the chute at a very high rate of speed, and in practice I have demonstrated. that I may introduce two pieces, strands or ropes of material into the pot eye 80 and deliver'the same into and discharge the same through the chute, thus greatly increasing the delivering capacity thereof in yards.

- From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the material introduced into the upper end of the chute is positively conveyed therethrough and positively delivered at the discharge end thereof, the feed of the material through the chute being governed by the material itself and preferably in such a manner that when the discharge end of the column of material falls below a predetermined level, the material is fed at a more rapid rate until the predetermined level has again been secured.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and I descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims:

1. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an endless conveyer forming a textilegsupporting wall wall of the receiver, means positively tofeed textile material through said-inlet and onto said conveyer, and means positively and intermittently to drive said conveyer.

8. Textile conditioning and storage ap-,-

paratus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an endless conveyer forming a textile supporting wall of the receiver, means positively to feed textile material through said inlet and onto said conveyer, and means intermittentlv to drive said conveyer from said feeding means.

4. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an endless conveyer positioned at the outlet end and forming a textile supporting wall of the receiver, and means intermittently to drive said conveyer.

5. Textile-conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a conveyer forming a portion of the receiver wall adjacent the outlet end thereof, and means intermittently to drive said conveyer.

6. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an endless conveyer positioned at the outlet end and forming a textile supporting wall of the receiver, and means intermittently to drive said conveyer from said feeding means.

7. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and outlet, a conveyer forming a portion of the receiver wall adjacent the outlet end thereof, and positive means governed by the textile material for driving said conveyer.

8. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and outlet, a conveyer forming a portion of the receiver wall adjacent the outlet end thereof, and means to drive said conveyer governed by the position of the discharging end of the column of material in the receiver. a

9. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising incombination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned lower end provided with an outlet, a conveyer at the lower end of the receiver, and means for controlling by the conveyer the height of the column of material in the said lower end of the receiver.

10. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower end provided with an outlet, and means for maintaining a uniform height of material in said lower, upturned end.

11. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower end provided with an outlet, a conveyer at the lower end of the receiver, and means to drive said conveyer when the discharge end of the column at the said lower end of the receiver falls below a predetermined level.

12. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned lower end provided with an outlet, an endless conveyer at the lower end of the receiver and forming the bottom wall thereof, means to feed the material into the upper end of the receiver, and means governed by the height of the discharge end of the column for driving the conveyer from the feeding means.

13. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an apron adjacent said outlet and forming a textile supporting wall thereof, said apron being positively fed and automatically varied in its feeding movement by the textile material itself.

14. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an apron adjacent said outlet and forming a textile supporting wall thereof, means positively to feed the material through the inlet onto said apron, means to traverse the material from side to side of the apron and means intermittently to feed said apron.

15. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an apron forming a textile supporting wall of the receiver, means positively to feed the material in narrow widths through the inlet onto the apron, means to fold said material, means to distribute the folds from side to side of the receiver, and means governed by the textile material for intermittently driving said apron.

16. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower end provided with an outlet, a conveyer at the lower end of the receiver and forming a textile supporting wall thereof, a device adapted to rest upon the discharge end of the column, and means controlled by said device for positively driving said conveyer.

17. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower end provided with an outlet, a conveyer at the lower end of the receiver and forming a textile supporting wall thereof, a follower adapted to rest upon the discharge end of the column, feeding means for the material, a ratchet drive for the conveyer operated by said feeding means, and means for controlling said ratchet drive by said follower.

18. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and an upturned, lower end provided with an outlet, a conveyer at the lower end of the receiver and forming a textile supporting wall thereof, intermittent driving means for said conveyer, and yielding means for operating said intermittent driving means.

19. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, an end. less conveyer forming a wall of said receiver, and means intermittently to drive said conveyer.

20. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a conveyer forming a portion of the receiver wall and means intermittently to drive said conveyer.

21. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a con veyer forming a portion at least of the receiver wall, and positive means governed by the textile material for driving said conveyer.

22. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a conveyer forming a portion at least of the receiver wall, and means to drive said conveyer governed by the position of the discharging end of the column of material in the receiver.

23. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising, in combination, a receiver having an inlet and an outlet, a conveyer forming a portion of the receiver wall, means to feed textile material through said inlet and onto said conveyer, and means governed by the textile material for driving said conveyer from said feeding means.

24. Textile conditioning and storage ap by the conveyer the position of the discharge endojf-the column of material with relationto said outlet. v t 26. Textile conditioning and storage apparatus comprising in combination, a re-' .ceiver having an inlet at-its upper end and an angular-1y directed lower end provided with an outlet, and means for maintaining va uniform position of the material in and with relation to said angularly directed 1 lower end.

Copies of this patent be obtained for 27. Textile conditioning and storageapparatus comprising in combination, a receiver having an inlet at its upper end and a lower end provided with an outlet, a conveyer forming a wall of said receiver, a device adapted to rest upon the discharge end i of the column, and means controlled by said device for driving said conveyer.

28. Textile conditioning and storage apveyer forming a portion of the receiver wall, and means governed by the material to maintain the discharge end of the column paratus comprising in combination, a re-- ceiver havmgan inlet and an outlet, a conof material in substantially a fixed position 4 with relation to said outlet.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC E. PALMER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM LANGER, CHAS. M. SAUERQ five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G." i 

